Electric heater



Oct. 14, 1941 J. L. SHROYER ELECTRIC HEATER Original Filed Dec. 21, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l inventor". Jacob Shrogen b5 W His Attorneg.

Patented Oct. 14, 1941 2,259,143 suacrmo HEATER Jacob L. Shroyer, Oak Park, Ill., assignor to Edison General Electric Appliance Company, Ohicago, 111., a corporation of New York Original application December 21, 1937, Serial No. 181,014. Divided and this application October 28, 1938, Serial No. 237,518

4 Claims. (Cl. 21937) This invention relates to electric heaters, more particularly to electric heaters of the hotplate type, such as are used for the surface heating elements of electric ranges and the .like, and it has for its object the provision of an improved heater of this character.

More specifically, this invention contemplates an improved organization in a heater oi the "hotplate type. involving improved means for supporting the heating element of the heater. It further contemplates the provision of improved heat reflector means, and of means for supporting the reflector means below the heating element. In addition, this invention contemplates an improved terminal structure for the heater.

This application is a division of my copending application, Serial No. 181,014, filed December For a more complete understanding of this invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an electric range provided with electric heaters arranged in accordance with this invention; Fig. 2 is an'enlarged plan, view of the electric range of Fig. l with parts broken away and in section so as to illustrat certain details of construction; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view takenthrollgh the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows; and Fig. 4 Ba view similar to Fig. 3, but taken through the line 4-4 of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawings, this invention has been shown in one form as applied to the electric range of the heavy-duty type described and claimed in my above-mentioned copending applioation. As shown, this range comprises a top plate section In. This section to comprises a compartment defined by a pair of side walls 1 l, a rear wall l2, a top plate l3 and a front wall II,

that is formed by a series of panels. n The top plate I3 is provided with a relatively large rectangular opening 15 in which the heat- 'ing or cooking units l6 are received. The cooking units It in the form. of the invention shown in the drawings comprise two high-temperature,

quick-heating elements I! arranged at the front, two lowertemperature hotplates I8 arranged back of them at the rear, and a relatively large heavy-duty griddle l9 arranged at the righthand side of the range. All of these cooking units are removable, and it is to be understood that their proportions are such that they may be interchanged. For example, the griddle l9 may be dispensed with and in its place there may be used two high-speed surface units i'i,'or two hotplates l8, or one of one and one of the other.

Moreover, ifdesired, one each of the units l1 and I8 may be eliminated and a second large griddle It! may be used instead of them. Preferably and as shown, the heating units will be formed into rectangular shapes.

Each high-speed, high-temperature heating unit [1 comprises a pair of sheathed heating elements 20 and 21 supported on a grid 22 which in turn is supported by a top plate 23. The topplate 23 is provided with an opening 24 having in general a circular shape and in which the heating elements 20 and 2| are received. A downturned flange 25 (Figs. 2 and 4) is provided at this opening. This downturned flange is provided with longer depending tabs 26 in which the ends of the grid 22 are received. The plate 23 is square and at the four sides is provided with a down-turned flange 21 which functions to support the top plate and the heating elements that are mounted within it. The down-turned flange 21 rests upon brackets 28 at their front comers; these brackets are rigidly secured to a flange 28a extending downwardly from the top plate 13 around th opening 15. The down-turned flanges 21 at the rear of the heating elements, as well as those at the front, rest upon beams 29 extending crosswise of the range from side ,to side and spaced at intervals from the front to the rear, as clearly shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4.

The heating elements 20 and 2| may be of any suitable type, but preferably will be of the sheathed type such as described and claimed in United States patent to Charles C. Abbott No. 1,367,341, dated February 1, 1921. Briefly, these heating elements comprise a resistance conductor (not shown) mounted in a metallic sheath 30 (Figs. 1 and 4), and supported in spaced relation with reference to the sheath by a suitable I powdered, heat-conducting, electrically-insulatprovided with a reflecting pan 34 tercept any grease or liquid which directed upwardly andthence downwardly as clearly shown in Fig. 4. This prevents grease and other liquids from running along the sheathed heater units to their terminals. As a further protection, the sheathed heaters are provided with washers or baiiles 33 adjacent their ends to inmight postheir ends. units I1 is which houses as well as the in Fig. 4. The resibly run along the heaters toward In addition, each of the heating the heating elements 20 and 2| grids 22, as clearly shown magnesium oxide, (also not I the heating elements.

flecting pan preferably is provided with a circular side wall, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, and

also is provided with a bottom wall 35 in which there is a centrally arranged transverse depressed section 36 (Fig. 2) having its bottom sloping downwardly from the sides to the center where a drain opening 31 is provided. The pan at one edge is provided with a cut-away section 38 (Fig.'

2) through which the terminal ends of the heater project laterally fromthe heating elements. The reflector 34 rests upon the supporting beams 29 which are provided with cut-away sections 39 to receive the reflectors, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 4, and is clearly shown in these figures, the reflector is prevented from moving laterally by the cut-away sections. A relatively large spillage pan 39a is provided under It will be observed in view of the foregoing construction that the heating elements. and 2| with their grids 22 and tops 23 may be moved out of the opening in the top of the range, and-also that the reflectors 34 .may be conveniently removed. This facilitates the cleaning of the heating units and reflector. I

' The reflectors maybe convenientlyl removed by tilting up the edges of the heating units l1 at their terminaledges on the brackets 28 and then withdrawing' the reflectors laterally, the brackets 28 constituting auxiliary supporting beams 29, The griddle also has spaced depending members 46b closely fitted over one. of the beams 29, as shown in Fig. 3, to assist in holding.

the griddle in place. The griddle l3. however, is provided with agrease trough 41 extending along its sides and front, .as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The grease and liquids draining oi! the griddle during the cooking operations collect in this trough, and drain through a discharge spout 48.

A suitable grease collecting vessei' 430 will be placed under the spout.

The beams 29 are supported at their ends by U-shaped brackets 49 which at their upper ends are directed through openings provided for them in elongated brackets 50 secured to the side walls ll of the topplate section in any suitable man ner, as by welding. On the upper ends of the legs of thebrackets 49 are nuts 5| (Fig. 2) which are- 1 turned in tightly to hold the beams in'place. While I have shown a particular embodiment of my invention, it will be understood, of course.

,that I do not wish to be limited thereto since many modifications may be made, and .I, therefore, contemplate by the appended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit'and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is:

means provided for this purpose. The leads 32,

as'shown, are sufliciently long to permit the heating units 11' to be elevated a sufficient distance from the cooking. top to provide room for cleaning them. .If desired, the outer flange 21 for each of the heating plates I! may be pro vided with spaced downward extensions 21a, (Figs. 2"and 4) at the rear of the side walls ar ranged to closely interflt with the upper edges of V the beams 29. This assists in holding the heating units in place. I

' Each hotplate l8 comprises a rectangularmass turned portions.

40 formed of any suitable heat-conducting material, such as cast iron. This mass 40 is provided with a ground and polished cooking surface 4|.

I Cast within the bodylii are one or more sheathed heating elements 42 of substantially the same type described in connection with the heatingv plates 11. The plates 13 also are supported on the brackets 28 at the rear and on the beams 29, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, and in the same manner thatfthe, plates II are mounted, except thatin .this case the brackets 28 are at the rear of the plate. Also, the unit I3 is provided with spaced downward extensions 42b arranged to tightly fit the upper edge of the flange 29, as

shown in Fig. 4,'to assist in holding the unit l3 in place. Here-also, the terminal ends 420 of the heating elements 42 are directed upwardly and.

and they are connected to suitable leads 46a. As

shown, the griddle l 3 is supported at the rearand front on brackets 28 and likewise is supported intermediate the brackets by means of the spaced 1. A heating plate for an electricrange and the like comprising a sheathed 'heatingelement having terminals projecting from the ends of the sheath, the end sections of said sheath adjacerits'aid terminals extending outwardly laterally, saidlaterally extending sections being curved upwardly and, thence downwardly so that the ter- -minalspr0ject downwardly and outwardly, and

washer-like intercepting baiiies on said down- ,2. In -an electric range having,a codki'n'g top with anopening therein, transverse beams below said-opening, a top plate mounted on said beams, a sheathed heatgenerating element formed into a plurality of turns, means securing said heat generating element tosaid top plate so that the plate supports said element in said opening, a reflector pan under said heat generating element resting on said beams as a separate unit from said heat-generating; element and said top plate so that when said top plate and its heat generating element are elevated in said qpeningsaid reflector {pan can be removed bodily from said beams and upwardly through said opening.

3. In an electric range having a cooking top with an opening therein, a heating; element m'ountedin said opening, transverse beams below said opening, a support for-said heating element resting on sections of said beams, a relatively deep pan-like'reflector below said opening andsaid heatingelement, and said beams having cutaway sections to receive said reflector to support it below said heating element and to prevent lateral movement thereof with reference to said heating element.

4. An electric'rangeccomprising' a top plate having an opening therein, a; heating .unit having a heating element and a top plate in which said heating element is mounted, said top plate ,being provided with a peripheral down-turned flange, supporting beams upon which said flange rests,and certain portions of said flange having down-turned extensions interlocking with one of said beams to stabilize said top plate and the heating element mounted therein on said beams.

' JACOB L. sHR oYER. 

